Sailing Barefoot » sailing http://www.sailingbarefoot.com Cuz you don't need shoes on a boat Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:48:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 en hourly 1 Sailing Certifications http://www.sailingbarefoot.com/2009/12/sailing-certifications/ http://www.sailingbarefoot.com/2009/12/sailing-certifications/#comments Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:48:54 +0000 admin http://www.sailingbarefoot.com/?p=14 While there are plenty of ways to learn to sail, perhaps the safest method is by taking one (or several) sailing classes and getting certified to sail in many of the situations you might encounter in your boat. US Sailing offers several different courses that can be taken at various accredited sailing schools across the [...]]]> While there are plenty of ways to learn to sail, perhaps the safest method is by taking one (or several) sailing classes and getting certified to sail in many of the situations you might encounter in your boat. US Sailing offers several different courses that can be taken at various accredited sailing schools across the country. While there is no “official” governing body for sailing in the States, US Sailing is generally regarded as the closest thing to it.

There are several levels of certification offered by US Sailing, and each level builds on what you learned in the previous course. You start out by learning to captain a small boat in daylight with favorable conditions, and gradually move your way to learning how to chart a course and sail to any spot on the globe. Let’s take a look at the courses offered by accredited US Sailing Schools.

Basic Keelboat – In this beginner course, you’ll learn to sail on a small (18′ to 25′) dayboat in favorable conditions. There are no prerequisites for this course.

Basic Cruising – The second beginner course will teach you how to sail and navigate on a larger sailboat, usually 23′ to 32′ in size. You’ll also begin to learn how to handle some mild adverse conditions. The Basic Keelboat course is a prereq for Basic Cruising.

Bareboat Cruising – In the Bareboat Cruising course you begin to learn to chart and select a course to take on your trip. You’ll also learn to pull in and out of docks and moorings, as well learn several techniques for anchoring. In addition, you’ll learn more bad weather techniques. Basic Cruising is a prereq for this course.

Coastal Navigation – The Coastal Navigation course focuses on teaching you to plot a course on a map and helps you become familiar with traditional navigation methods. You’ll also learn to integrate electronic/GPS data into your navigation. There are no prereqs for this course.

Coastal Passage Making – The Coastal Passage Making course prepares you to chart a course, and captain a ship, to any coastal destination, essentially meaning any destination you don’t have to leave sight of land to get to. You’ll also learn some necessary skills such as how to inspect a boat for wear or damage, spotting inclement weather, and charting longer sailing courses. Current First Aid and CPR certifications are recommended for this course, and Bareboat Cruising and Coastal Navigation certifications are required.

Celestial Navigation – This course teaches you to plot your position and desired course of travel on a map or chart with only the most basic of tools: a sextant and the stars. Coastal Navigation is required as a prereq.

Offshore Passage Making – The final course, Offshore Passage Making teaches you everything else that you need to know to be able to pick a spot on the globe and sail to it. Once you have this certification, you’ll be able to go anywhere you please, and will be able to handle just about any situation you encounter. First Aid and CPR certifications are required to pass this course, and Coastal Passage Making and Celestial Navigation are prereqs for taking it.

]]> http://www.sailingbarefoot.com/2009/12/sailing-certifications/feed/ 0 Learning To Sail http://www.sailingbarefoot.com/2009/12/learning-to-sail/ http://www.sailingbarefoot.com/2009/12/learning-to-sail/#comments Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:25:06 +0000 admin http://www.sailingbarefoot.com/?p=5 As with most things, there are two ways to learn to sail, in a school and by doing it. And as with most skills, the very best way is to learn is by doing both. Here’s what I would recommend.

First, do some research at your library and find a good book that gives detailed sailing [...]]]> As with most things, there are two ways to learn to sail, in a school and by doing it. And as with most skills, the very best way is to learn is by doing both. Here’s what I would recommend.

First, do some research at your library and find a good book that gives detailed sailing instructions for newbies. A good book will have diagrams and pictures that will show you the ropes instead of just telling you about them.

Now that you have a basic understanding of how a boat goes, you are ready for a school and/or hands on training. A good school will mix some classroom training and theory (for which you will be well prepared because you read the book) with a lot of on the water training. Schools vary widely in terms of how and what they teach as well as the qualifications of the instructor. I highly recommend asking around about the different schools as well as a personal visit before enrolling. If you want to sail small boats, a school that trains on a 40 foot boat is probably not for you and the opposite may apply as well. Personally, I believe that all sailing skill are transferable. Learn to sail on a small boat, the skills required for a larger craft will come easier to you. You will also want a small class size so that you can make sure you get lots of sailing time as well as personal instruction.

If a school isn’t for you, try visiting a sailing club where they hold races. Most racers are constantly looking for crew and nothing perfects sailing skills better than competition. Try to find a patient “skipper” who will explain things to you. Be absolutely sure to inform the skipper as to the level of your experience. Some will be very interested in winning and sailing with them as a novice can be a very frustrating and possibly unpleasant experience. Others want to enjoy the race and have fun. These people may not be the very best sailors but will definitely make the best and most pleasant instructors as well as allow you to perform the most duties. If you hit it off with the skipper and enjoy the racing, you may be able to make your crewing a regular arrangement. One season of racing and I guarantee you will know how to sail.

No racing available where you live? Then either try to make friends with someone who owns a boat and will take you out several times or rent an boat. If you rent, get the smallest boat available and stay near the marina until you develop some competence and confidence. Getting someone who already knows how to sail join you will make the experience a lot more fun and greatly reduce any beginners anxiety. Do not take a date, your spouse or children the first couple of times you go out. You will need to concentrate on doing the sailing and the distraction will not be helpful.

Sailing is a “doing” activity. Theory is great but nothing is better than experience. As the saying goes, “The elegance of theory will never withstand the messiness of reality.”

]]> http://www.sailingbarefoot.com/2009/12/learning-to-sail/feed/ 0 How Sailboats Work http://www.sailingbarefoot.com/2009/12/how-sailboats-work/ http://www.sailingbarefoot.com/2009/12/how-sailboats-work/#comments Wed, 16 Dec 2009 00:45:59 +0000 admin http://www.sailingbarefoot.com/?p=3 Contrary to what most people think, the sails on a boat are not just big sheets put up for the wind to blow against. Instead, they are specifically designed airfoils more on the order of an airplanes wing than a sheet. It is the difference between air pressure on the windward, or upwind, side of [...]]]> Contrary to what most people think, the sails on a boat are not just big sheets put up for the wind to blow against. Instead, they are specifically designed airfoils more on the order of an airplanes wing than a sheet. It is the difference between air pressure on the windward, or upwind, side of the sale and the leeward, or downwind, side that propels the boat.

As you know, a sail boat has a long projection on the bottom of the boat called a keel or a centerboard. As the wind blows against the sails, it tries to push the boat in front of it. However, because of the resistance of the keel against the water, and the greater air pressure on the upwind side of the sail, this lateral movement is translated into forward movement. The boat does make some lateral movement called leeway, but most of the wind’s energy is translated into forward movement because there is less resistance to pushing the boat forward than sideways.

Because of the airfoil shape of the sail, a sailboat can move, or point, roughly 90 degrees into the wind. Trying to move more than 90 degrees upwind results in a lowering of the air pressure differential between the two sides of the sail and the boat losing its forward motion. Much of the skill in steering a sailboat involves the ability to sail as “close to the wind” meaning the tightest possible angle upwind without losing any forward motion and speed. For a boat to move into the wind – upwind – it has to zigzag back and forth at 90 degrees to the direction of the wind gaining some distance on each zigzag, or tack.

When a boat moves downwind – sails with the wind behind it- then the sails do act more as large surfaces for the wind to blow against than as airfoils. It is on this downwind tack that you often see boats put up the large colorful balloon like sail called a spinnaker. This sail really is a huge bag designed to simply capture as much wind as possible. However, because it lacks any airfoil like properties, it is useless going upwind. Small sailboats often have a centerboard that can be raised and lowered. When going downwind, there is no need for a centerboard to be used as the boat is going directly before the wind and there is no lateral motion to be translated into forward motion. In this case the centerboard can be raised which will reduce drag and increase speed.

In sailing a boat there are three angles that the person steering the boat must constantly be evaluating. The direction of the wind, the set, or angle, of the sails, and the direction you want the boat to go. These angles are not static but constantly change as the wind shifts. Failure to pay close attention to these angles results in slower speed. Sailing is very much like playing pool. It is all a game of angles and like a pool player, the sailor who can best judge those angles will do the best.

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